


The First Years

by CityEscape4



Series: Of Orphans and Orchids [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Homelessness, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multiple Worlds, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Powers and Abilities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24154303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CityEscape4/pseuds/CityEscape4
Summary: Thirteen children, cast from their homes at various ages, all meet at different points in their lives, and learn to come together to help one another survive.
Series: Of Orphans and Orchids [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1743100
Kudos: 1





	1. Beginnings - Nikolai and Genevieve

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is basically I made a bunch of OCs and can't draw worth shit so I'm trying to make a story out of them!
> 
> I tries doing something similar about a year and a half ago, but I wasn't as clear with what I wanted to do with these OCs as I am now. So take that as you will.

They'd only been on the streets for about 2 months, but it already felt like eons.

Nikolai was sure the only thing keeping him sane was his 6-year-old sister, Genevieve, who was currently tucked away at a public playground, close to a homeless shelter. They'd practiced the routine enough; she plays at the playground, and if questioned about her parents, she says her mother is at the homeless shelter nearby, and she was allowed to go play while her mother helped to hand out food. Meanwhile, Nikolai would discreetly do what he could for them to get food. He'd check dumpsters in the town's alleyways for something salvageable, search for money in vending machine slots and other various places, hoping to scrounge up enough to buy food for the day, or on rare occasions, would steal a can of food from one of the large chain grocery stores the town had. He prayed for the 15th and 30th of each month, because that was when food pantries did food drives and he and Genevieve would wait in line for a box of food that would last them several days at most.

Anything less discreet would draw stares, the attention of older folks. A thirteen-year-old boy who was half-white, half-Asian roaming the streets on his own wasn't suspicious to most people. He could be going to meet with friends, running an errand for his parents, something of the like. But a thirteen-year-old wandering the streets with a 6-year-old? This would prompt questions. _Where are your parents? Does your mommy know where you are? Aren't you both a little young to be wandering the town on your own?_ There was the one time an older woman tried to call the cops on them, not because they'd done anything wrong, but because she suspected child neglect and wanted to put them in a safe place until their parents could be held responsible.

But that was the thing: They had no parents.

Nor had they any next of kin left. After their mother died shortly after Genevieve was born, their father dropped them off at his sister's - their aunt and uncle's house, and never looked back. Nikolai never heard from the man again. That was over 5 years ago, and with his uncle dead from a car accident 2 years ago, and his aunt having died from pneumonia just two and a half months ago, there'd been no one left to care for the Burkhart siblings.

They'd been put in a foster home for a couple weeks, but when Nikolai overheard a conversation about Genevieve being adopted _without him,_ he took his sister and the two ran, having left that city and trekked to the town they'd currently taken residence in - Channelwick. They were wary of police the entire time, not knowing if there'd been an alert out about two missing kids. Nikolai assumed there was, since the reason they ran in the first place was because a someone had wanted to adopt Genevieve, so he avoided them at near any cost. And after the incident with the older woman, Nikolai started leaving Genevieve in various places while he did what needed to be done, like the playground, or an alleyway, or Genevieve's favorite - the library.

Currently, Nikolai was doing what he could to scrounge up money. He was afraid they'd become familiar faces around the town, and was thinking of gathering enough money to buy some bus fare out of Channelwick and somewhere new. He had some concerns, like how they'd gather their bearings in a new place, relearning safe routes, and finding a new place to hunker down for the nights, but the fear of being found and separated was more overwhelming than any of those, so he'd take the chance.

Nikolai knew better than to try and pickpocket someone for quick cash. Not that he was above doing so, but he knew he lacked the nimbleness, the light-fingered touch to do so. He'd be caught instantly, and without someone to practice on, he didn't bother trying. He didn't bother with standing on the side of the street while holding a sign either, because _that_ would draw way too much unwanted attention. So he resorted to vending machines and cushions at fast-food restaurants and wherever else he could manage looking for money without coming off as too suspicious. So far, he'd gathered a little less than $7, which was enough for a bus ride somewhere else in town, but not out. 

Stomach grumbling, the slightly tanned young teen looked up at the sky from the alleyway he was walking through. The sun was starting to lower from the sky, which meant it was time to get Genevieve from the park. He took backways only, avoiding main areas until he absolutely had to use them, and when he arrived at Channelwick's public park, walked through the metal archway that loomed over the entrance, looking for his sister.

As he made his way to the playground area, he spotted his sister among the small crowd of kids: her long black hair, her pink headband littered with even pinker butterflies sewn into it, her little red jacket that covered most of her dirtied white shirt (They'd have to wash that soon, Nikolai noted). She was just getting up off the ground, wiping her hands on her jeans before climbing up the stairs once more, when Nikolai walked over, smiling gently. 

"C'mon, Gen. Time to go."

Genevieve pouted somewhat, her lower lip quivering just slightly as she sat down at the top of the slide. "One more slide?"

Nikolai sighed, but there was no exasperation in the sound, just amusement on his expression. "One more," He agreed, folding his arms and nodding, "Then we gotta go eat."

"Ok!" Genevieve pushed herself down the slide then, temporarily being hidden by the plastic curved tubing, only to be exposed again as she reached the bottom. "I'm done!" She cried out, holding her hands up in the air.

A laugh escaped Nikolai, and he picked his sister up, carrying her for a brief minute. "You're starting to get too heavy for me, Gen." He carefully put her down beside him, and held her hand. "Let's go, before it gets late."

Receiving a nod in response, the duo walked out of the park and began their trek 'home', a dead end alleyway that housed what little belongings they had, as well as their food. Upon reaching their destination, it was dusk, perfect in Nikolai's eyes for staying hidden in an alleyway. Nikolai ushered Genevieve in, watching her as she raced for the cardboard box that contained their food, and pulled out a packet of applesauce, twisting the top open and drinking it. "Easy, easy." Nikolai chided, kneeling down by his sister to put a hand on her shoulder. "No need to attack the thing!"

"Hmm." Genevieve hummed as she drank, pulling the packet away from her lips when she'd had her fill. "But I'm hungry."

"I know," Nikolai said, patting her shoulder. "I am too. Lets see what all we can have for dinner." As Nikolai sat, he pulled the cardboard box close to the two of them, looking down with a weak smile. They were running low on food again. There were a couple cans of precooked ravioli in one corner of the box, several granola bars near there, a final packet of applesauce, and three bottles of water. "How about... ravioli?" Nikolai asked, grabbing one of the cans. He didn't wait for an answer as he pulled the tab on the top of the can, opening it to reveal the saucy, pasta filled goodness inside. His stomach grumbled again at the smell of it, and he looked to Genevieve. "Save the rest of that applesauce for later and give me your hands."

Genevieve did as she was told, twisting the cap back on the applesauce and putting it down before cupping her hands before her brother. It was then that he carefully poured a few raviolis into his sister's hands, and watched her eat as he pulled the can away. She brought her hands up to her face, digging into the food she was given hungrily, sauce dripping from her hands and chin. 

Nikolai had no doubt she was probably starving; she'd been at the park nearly all day, working up an appetite. "How about tomorrow, we go to the library instead of the park?" Nikolai asked. "I'm sure if we get there early enough, we might be able to get a snack during lunch time."

Looking up at her brother, Genevieve smiled with a filthy mouth, sauce splattered all around her mouth. "Really?"

Nikolai laughed at his sister's excited yet dirtied smile, and nodded. "Yeah. I'll even stick around a bit and read with you, ok?" Getting an enthusiastic nod in response, Nikolai smiled. "Ok, give me your hands again." He poured a few more raviolis into his sister's hands, then looked in the can as she ate. There wasn't much left... With a small sigh, Nikolai conceded to a granola bar for dinner, waiting for Genevieve to finish eating before beckoning her for a third handful of ravioli, giving her the last of the can. "Atta girl. That's all for tonight, alright?"

Swallowing her last bit of ravioli, Genevieve nodded, licking her hands as clean as she could, before wiping them on her white shirt. 

With a groan, Nikolai put the can down and buried his face in his hands, shaking his head. "Gen," he lamented, "We gotta clean that now."

"I still got a shirt!" She claimed, reaching for a well hidden purple backpack, unzipping it and pulling out a wrinkled, dark blue short sleeved shirt. "It's clean!"

Sighing, Nikolai grabbed the shirt and looked it over. "Yeah, you're right, it is. Now c'mon, get out of that jacket and shirt so we can change you into this." Obediently, Genevieve shed her jacket and shimmied out of her dirty white shirt, handing it to Nikolai in exchange for the clean blue one. When she finished changing, Nikolai smiled. "Good. Now, so long as you're good about not getting it on you, you can finish that applesauce."

Without a second thought, Genevieve took her golden opportunity to finish the other half of the applesauce packet she'd started, and moved to sit against the wall, using her free hand to pull a small blanket out of her backpack, covering herself with it.

Nikolai watched as she made herself comfortable, and looked down at the dirty shirt in his hands, before slowly exhaling through his nose and folding the shirt so he could stuff it in his backpack. "Hey, Gen?" Nikolai began, speaking as he unzipped the blue backpack. The coins he'd gathered felt heavy in his pocket as he spoke. "... How about we go to another town? We could leave Channelwick and try new stuff somewhere else."

A displeased hum left Genevieve at that, and she shook her head, her brown eyes meeting her brother's. "Nuh-uh."

"Why not?"

Genevieve took the applesauce packet out of her mouth with a _pop!_ and spoke. "I like it here. I like the park and the library and even the lines we stand in to get food. The people here are nice."

Nikolai put the shirt away with a silent groan, zipping his backpack back up. "Well," he thought for a moment, before smiling and moving to sit by his sister. "Maybe we can find a bigger park, and a bigger library! Maybe we can find a new food distribution line that gives even more food! And who knows, maybe the people there will be even nicer."

Again, a displeased hum. "But I like _this_ park and library." She put the applesauce packet back in her mouth and shifted, laying down so that her head was in her brother's lap.

Silence settled between them for a few moments, before Nikolai spoke again, running a hand through his short, somewhat floofy hair. "Alright, we'll stay here a little longer." It wasn't a lie; he still needed some more time to gather enough money for a bus ride out of town, assuming they didn't spend any money on food. "But think about what I said, ok?" He let his head lean back against the brick behind him, and relaxed, his body weary from running around all day. Though as his stomach growled again, Genevieve looked up at him.

"You need to eat too, Niko." She said softly, looking somewhat sad as she took the empty applesauce packet out of her mouth. Her gaze traveled to the empty can, and a wave of guilt came over her. "I ate all the raviolis..."

"You're fine." Nikolai reassured her, "We have plenty of granola bars. I'll eat one, no- two of those."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Seeming satisfied with that, Genevieve settled back down and got comfortable once more, nuzzling her cheek against her brother's leg. She placed the empty packet on the ground beside her, which Nikolai picked up and tossed into a nearby dumpster. He didn't dare do that with the can, as compared to the packet, the can was far heavier and would make much more noise. He'd wait until tomorrow to throw it away.

For now, the two settled down for the night, Genevieve falling into a dreamless sleep, as Nikolai looked up at the stars, wondering what the world had in store for them in the future.


	2. Beginnings - Enrique and Rafael

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doing what he can to protect his brother, Enrique takes to the road, and dreams of a better life for him and Rafael.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: mentions of child abuse and alcohol abuse

Chocolate brown eyes gazed out the train window, watching the forested surroundings pass by. The sight wasn't one fourteen-year-old Enrique Salazar was used to; he'd been born and raised in a coastal town, and had never had the chance to travel inland before. It was almost suffocating, being enclosed in all directions by trees and foliage, but Enrique stuck it out, knowing that it was just a hurdle to overcome, a stepping stone on the path to a better life. Slowly exhaling, Enrique tore his gaze away from the window and looked next to him, where his 5-year-old brother, Rafael, was coloring away in a coloring book that Enrique had bought him. 

Enrique watched as a grubby tanned hand clasped a single blue crayon, haphazardly dragging the wax color back and forth along the paper that lay on the fold-down table. With a dry smile, Enrique shook his head, speaking. "No, Rafa, you gotta stay in the lines. _El agua es azul, no la arena."_

Rafael hummed thoughtfully at that, his coloring slowing to halt. Enrique raised an eyebrow as his brother stopped coloring, watching the young boy carefully. _"¿Qué paso?"_

Rafael's unoccupied hand lowered to his stomach, and he frowned. "I'm hungry, Riri."

"Ok," Enrique said, reaching down for a backpack under his seat, "What do you want? We got some chicharrones, some sandwiches, some beef jerky--"

"A sandwich!" Rafael's honey brown eyes lit up at the mention of a sandwich, putting the crayon down and making grabby hands at his older brother. "Peanut butter!"

"Alright, calm down." Enrique reached into the backpack and shuffled his hand around, until he felt a Ziploc bag. Grabbing the bag and pulling his hand back, Enrique examined the sandwich inside and nodded. "Yeah, that one's peanut butter." He handed the bag to Rafael, who eagerly opened it and dove a hand inside, retrieving his prize.

"Nah, ah." Enrique shook his head, speaking before Rafael could bite into the sandwich. "What do we say?" A mumbled _"gracias"_ was his answer, but that was enough to get Enrique to nod. "That's better."

As Rafael ate, Enrique looked over his brother, a faint smile etching its way onto his lips. Rafael was a messy eater, bread crumbs falling onto his lap as he ate, smacking his lips somewhat with each bite. Most people would find it annoying, and honestly? If this were any other human being, Enrique would too. But there was something about his little brother that Enrique just couldn't help but give a hint of a genuine smile. Reaching over, Enrique ruffled Rafael's messy black hair, causing the young boy to reach a hand up and bat away at his older brother's hand.

"Stooop," Rafael whined, a mouth full of peanut butter and bread, "Lea' me 'lone."

A laugh escaped Enrique at that, and he relented, pulling his hand away to instead stuff his hands inside his black jacket's pockets, leaning back into his seat. Though as much as he wanted to just relax, he couldn't. Shaking his head somewhat, Enrique closed his eyes, his head leaning back against the seat's cushion. 

They'd been out in the world for only a few days, but every day since they'd been gone, Enrique had nightmares of home.

With his eyes closed and the majority of the world blocked out, Enrique could feel his skin tingle against the fabric of his shirt and jacket. He could feel his scars on his arms and shoulders and back more predominantly than usual today, his upper right shoulder blade still stinging a bit. He tried to shake off the uncomfortable feeling settling in his gut, but to no avail, as images of his time with his parents flashed in his mind's eye. 

His parents' discarded beer bottles, the heavy smell of cigarette smoke and booze. The feeling of shattered glass piercing his skin, of a cigarette butt being burnt out on his flesh. The vitriol in his parents's voices as they screamed at one another, getting after whose turn it was to change the baby, to feed the baby, to put the baby to sleep; things that Enrique himself would more than likely end up doing.

His most recent altercation with his parents ebbed into existence, the drunken duo arguing with one another again, over having to spend money on Rafael, because he'd be attending kindergarten in the fall. He'd need new clothes and school supplies and a lunch kit, all expenses that they didn't want to pay. Enrique was never sure if it was because they didn't want to, or weren't able to, but with the amount spent on cigarettes and beer, he could only assume the former. His father was smoking a cigarette, his mother yelling to put that shit out and stop ignoring her. 

And so he attempted to put the cigarette out on Rafael, who was sitting on the floor, playing with some toy cars.

Enrique had been nearby, working on fixing one of Rafael's broken cars, when he noticed the familiar movements of his father, the young teen having been the subject of his abuse more than once before. He dove off the chair he was on and hugged his little brother tight, shielding him with his own body. He couldn't see his father's face, couldn't tell if he was angered by his actions or drunkenly amused, all he knew was the pain and burn of the end of a cigarette corroding his shirt and the back of his upper right shoulder.

It was then that he made the decision to run away with Rafael.

A pressure leaning against his arm pulled Enrique out of his thoughts, and he opened his eyes, looking down as Rafael snuggled close to him, no sandwich in sight.

"All done?" Enrique asked quietly, watching his brother's eyes begin to droop.

"Mmm-hmm." Rafael nodded, nuzzling his head into his brother's arm, and Enrique shifted, moving his arm so that he could pull the young boy close. Rafael was now leaning into his older brother's side, snuggling up against him still, letting his eyes close, before speaking. "Enrique?"

"Hmm?"

"Could you sing my song?" He asked, a yawn escaping him. "I'm tired."

A hesitant look overcame Enrique then, the fourteen-year-old looking around at other passengers warily, before sighing. "Ok, Rafa. I will." Patting his hand rhythmically against Rafael's side, Enrique began to quietly sing.

 _"A la ru ru niño, a la ru ru ya. Duérmete mi niño, duérmete mi amor."_ His patting slowly came to a stop as he noticed Rafael's breathing slow, but kept singing softly, the sound only for the young boy to hear. _"A la ru ru, ru ru niño, a la ru ru, ru ru ya. A la ru ru, ru ru niño, a la ru ru, ru ru ya."_

Slow, even breathing left Rafael, and Ernique couldn't help but smile somewhat proudly. He always took confidence in being able to put his brother to sleep, even when they were younger. Gently, he began to pat Rafael again, and sang a bit of a different song. _"Arroz con leche, me quiero casar con una señorita de San Nicolás. Me diga sí, me diga no, con esta señorita me caso yo."_

This cycle of two songs continued for a short while, until an overhead announcement was made: _"We'll be arriving in Channelwick in about an hour, passengers. In the meantime, our attendants will be coming around to each car, offering drinks and snacks for a small price. Thank you for riding with us."_

At the mention of drinks, Enrique perked up some, his throat suddenly dry. He mentally debated on getting something, depending on what all they had, especially considering he and Rafael had run out of water just yesterday. They had plenty of money for the time being, Enrique having stolen cash out of both his parents' wallets totaling about 200 bucks, 150 of that they still hadn't spent. If they had water bottles, he'd spend a few bucks on that, and perhaps a soda, just for him. 

For the moment though, he looked out the window at the long-lasting forest landscape passing by, awaiting their destination.


	3. Beginnings - The Triplets and Felix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When a strange force strikes their home, the Moreno family goes on the run, and does what they can to protect the next generation.

There were two kinds of people in the world: those who were Gifted, and those who were not. The Gifted were individuals born with unexplained powers, and were far, far outnumbered by those who were not. Most of the Gifted who remained lived in hiding, protecting themselves from those who would abuse them, or their Gifts.

The Moreno family were such individuals, living deep in a forest, far from prying eyes. Javier and Sofia Moreno had a house built not long after they'd gotten married nearly 14 years ago, the arrangement being one made by their families when the two were young teens. The couple didn't mind, they'd already been dating before the arrangement was set up. His Gift was the ability to manipulate the earth beneath him; hers being the ability to create portals to different areas. Not long after their first year as a married couple, Javier and Sofia welcomed three young girls into the world: Ava, Araceli, and Aliyah. The three daughters grew happily and healthily, and by the age of three, their Gifts began manifesting.

Ava, the oldest sister, was Gifted with prophetic dreams. Not every dream she had would tell her the future, the only ones that did were accompanied by a fever as she slept, as her parents came to realize after observing the oldest triplet for some nights in a row. While young, her dreams foretold of mundane events: What dinner would be, a comment made by a fellow family member, the outfits her sisters would wear. However, she could never tell how soon or far into the future her dreams would tell her. The farthest known dream she'd had was seeing her little brother as an infant before he was born, before Javier and Sofia had even told the triplets that Sofia would be having a baby. But as she grew older, her dreams had the ability to foretell of more specific events: a car crash observed by her father as he ventured into a nearby town, a storm strong enough to knock trees over in the forest, a landslide that prevented travel into town. 

Araceli, the middle sister, was Gifted with the ability to manipulate the shadows. At first, she could merely bend them to her will, altering their shapes or sizes somewhat, to give off the impression that the shadow being cast was one of something else. Though as she grew older, her manipulations became more impressive, and she was able to shroud items in shadow, obscuring them from view. Eventually, she learned how to shroud herself in a big enough shadow, the technique being one she employed mainly while playing hide-and-seek with her sisters while out in the forest.

Aliyah, the youngest sister, was Gifted with impressive strength. Even as young as three, she was able to lift both her sisters, one in each arm. She'd go about touting her strength to her family, by picking up couches, tables, beds, whatever she could to playfully show off 'look what I can do!'. As she grew older, she grew more closely to her father than her mother, her father creating heavy training equipment out of rock and earth for her to test her abilities on. Out of the three sisters, hers was the only Gift that was more physically taxing, so Javier was quick to train her, quick to point out to her her limitations. Her strength was not boundless, and she needed energy to pull off more miraculous feats.

Sometime after the triplets' seventh birthday, Sofia gave birth to a baby boy, lovingly named Felix. He was a quiet child for the most part, and when he was old enough, his Gift began manifesting too. By three, he was manipulating the plant life around him, growing thin vines on the side of the house, nursing an old, dying tree outside into a little bit longer of a life, and causing fruit trees to produce their goods early. The more he practiced with his Gift, the stronger his vines became, the longer old trees lived, the sweeter the fruit produced tasted. As useful as his power was, his family did not force the young boy to grow fruit for them to survive off of. No, Sofia and Javier rather kept their same routine that they had all these years, and took turns going into town to buy their supplies, never leaving the kids by themselves. Every once in a while, they'd take one daughter with them at a time, to expose them to the world outside the forest they called home.

Such was the norm of the family, until Ava had a dream.

Now age twelve, Ava was restlessly sleeping, and had broken out into fever sweat. Her dream showed her many things: she and her siblings in a cave where the floor was lined with thin, bunched vines, two boys she didn't recognize that were around her age with younger children around Felix's age, a turquoise orb that reminded her of a crystal ball that was being held by all three sisters, as well as four other hands she didn't recognize, but most worryingly of all was her home, engulfed in flames, as well as the sight of her and her family running from some unseen threat.

With a start, Ava woke up from her dream, dark brown eyes wide with fear as she breathed heavily, attempting to gather her bearings. Perhaps it was just a nightmare, she told herself, a nightmare and nothing more. But when she registered her forehead wet with sweat, and the temperature of her forehead, fear coursed through the child. No, nonono... As she got out of bed, she made her way from hers and her sisters' room to her parents' room, not knowing what time it was, but not caring either. She knocked on the door, once, twice... until she heard the groggy voice of her father, replying, "Come in."

Tears welling up in her eyes, Ava opened the door to her parents' room, and hurried over to her father's bedside, the sight of his daughter in crying being enough to wake him up more fully. _"Mija,_ what's wrong?" He sat up in bed, pulling away from his slowly waking wife, and pulled his his daughter into a hug. "Did you have a nightmare?" Before Ava could respond, however, he felt the heat on her damp forehead, realizing it meant she'd had a prophetic dream. "What was it, Ava?" His voice was concerned, but gentle, caring. He pulled away from her somewhat, and tired brown eyes looked into weepy brown ones, searching for some sort of answer. "What did you see?"

"I-I saw... I saw the house on fire." Ava began, a small hiccup leaving her as she spoke while crying, her hands rising to her eyes as she shook her head. "And then we were running away, deeper into the forest, from... from _something._ I couldn't see what." She looked up at him then, fear in her eyes. "But you were scared, Papa, you and Mama both. I could see it."

Sofia sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep out of an eye. "Javier? Ava? What's going on?"

"Ava had a dream." Javier said, looking behind him as Sofia. "She saw the house burning, and us running from some entity."

"The house... _burning?"_ Sofia repeated. She was more awake then, shifting to face Javier and Ava. "And us running? Are you sure?"

Sniffling, Ava nodded. "Y-Yeah..."

Sofia and Javier shared a concerned look, before Javier turned back to Ava, pulling her back into a hug as she cried into his chest. "Shh, shh, it'll be alright. We'll be ok."

"But the house--"

"The house is just a thing, _mija."_ Sofia said, scooting closer to Javier so that she could reach over and rest a hand on Ava's back. "So long as we have each other, everything will be ok." She then turned her head to look at the clock on the wall. "It's about 6:30. I'll get up to start getting breakfast ready, ok?"

"Here, I'll get breakfast started." Javier offered, shifting so that he could swing his legs over the side of the bed, moving enough so that Ava could get onto the bed as he was getting off. "You stay and lay down with your mother, alright?" He asked, looking to Ava.

A nod left Ava, that being all the reassurance Javier needed, before shooting his wife a look meant to comfort, and leaving the room the head towards the kitchen.

As Ava curled up next to her mother, Sofia was quick to wrap her arms around her terrified daughter. The action was enough to get Ava crying again, Sofia gently stroking a hand along her back. "It's alright, Ava." Sofia murmured softly, resting her head against her daughter's. "We'll be just fine." When Ava's crying failed to relent, Sofia opted to hum instead, still rubbing her daughter's back. She said nothing, sang nothing, merely hummed gently, and within several minutes, Ava's crying died down into whimpers, as sleep eventually claimed her once more. Sofia looked over Ava upon feeling her breathing even out, upon hearing no more sounds of distress, and sighed, worry coursing through her. 

What could be out there that would want to chase them? Was it someone, or something, who was aware that they were Gifted? The house burning... would it be something the family did on their own accord, or would it have been the result of whatever Ava saw chasing them doing whatever it could to reach them? What kind of danger were they in?

* * *

Weeks passed since that morning, Ava shortly after having told her sisters about her dream. There was an unspoken weight of dread looming across the house, with the exception of 5-year-old Felix, who was the only one unaware of the impending future that awaited them. Javier and Sofia would no longer take the girls out when one of them went to the nearby towns for supplies, wanting to limit their contact with the outside world, limit the risk of being seen and exposed. At first, Araceli and Aliyah were upset, but after their parents explained their reasoning, they reluctantly obliged, staying home with whichever parent stayed behind while the other went into town.

Outside of that, Sofia and Javier restricted the areas of the forest the girls and Felix could venture out into alone, which saddened all four children, as the forest was their personal playground. Felix didn't understand, thinking he'd done something wrong, had misbehaved in some way and was being punished for it. Without the knowledge of Ava's dream, Javier and Sofia gave him alternate reasons as to why these boundaries were placed. They were clear to let him know that it wasn't a punishment, that he'd done no wrong, but was instead for his safety. They also forbade the girls from telling Felix about Ava's dream, a rule which the girls weren't too keen to break anyway, because how do you explain to a 5-year-old that his home was destined to perish?

In addition, Javier was training Aliyah more frequently with her Gift, and began training Felix with his as well, since his too was a more physically taxing Gift. The three would travel to a secluded spot in the forest, one within the boundaries set for the children, and would set up tasks for the two children to do. Aliyah would hone her strength on rocks of various sizes, ones made by Javier's own Gift. While she'd do that, Javier would observe Felix as he performed his Gift, and set up tasks for him based on what he saw, such as asking Felix to cover a rock with vines in a certain amount of time, or seeing how thick of vines he could produce in one go.

Meanwhile, Sofia would stay at home with Ava and Araceli, letting Araceli hone her own Gift as much as she could without the distraction of half of her siblings there. Ava would occasionally be asked to help, but for the most part, she just watched, knowing that her siblings were going through these trainings because of her. 

Part of her wanted to resent her Gift, wanted to curse it, and wish she'd never manifested it. But without it, chances were her family would have never known to be wary in the first place, and might have been caught unawares by the fire, getting hurt from it, or worse. So she never complained, and instead tried to focus on the other parts of her prophetic dream, the parts she hadn't told her parents or sisters about. About the boys and other kids Felix's age, and the turquoise orb, and the cave with vines. The other kids... Were they friendly, or dangerous? She could barely see their faces now that the weeks had drug on, but she knew when she saw them in person she'd be able to recognize them. The cave with vines... she likened the vines to those Felix was able to produce; Perhaps that part of her dream was just a foretelling of them playing in the forest? And the turquoise orb... where had she seen that before?

Her dream left her with more questions than answers, and it was irritating, but she kept it all bottled inside, not knowing if it was important information to share with the rest of her family, or if it was something more mundane.

* * *

It was later that week when it happened.

Felix and the girls were helping their parents set the kitchen for dinner when there was a knock at the front door. Immediately, the family tensed, none of them knowing who it could possibly be.

"Hello?" The voice that followed sounded cheerful and calm, like it was simply a family friend stopping by for a visit. After getting no response, again there was another knock. "Is anyone home?"

Javier and Sofia shared a look, before Sofia's brows furrowed, and she rolled up her sleeves. "Javi, stay with the kids. If anything, run."

"Sofia--"

"Stay. with. the kids." Sofia shot him a look and he immediately relented, nodding as the girls and Felix made a bee-line towards their father, the four of them surrounding him.

Sofia marched to the front room, her stomach in knots as she tried to think about who could have possibly found their hidden abode this far out in the forest. As she reached the front door, there was a third knock, this one sounding more impatient than the first two, coming at a bit of a faster rhythm. Swallowing harshly, Sofia opened the front door.

On her doorstep was an older man, with balding, graying hair, and pale skin. He had about a good half-foot or so of height on her, Sofia only being about 5'4. He was dressed in a suit that was far too crisp and clean for someone who presumably trekked through an entire forest to reach this place, and it immediately set Sofia's tension high. He wasn't even sweating...

"Why, hello!" He chirped, blue eyes shining with a gleeful mirth as he was greeted by Sofia's presence, thin lips curling into a smile. "Hair pulled back, covered with a bandana, apron on. Don't you make quite the housewife?"

The comment irked Sofia beyond belief, as she wondered who in the hell this man was that commented on her appearance like he knew her. "You assume I'm a housewife." She said, her voice calm and collected for someone as on edge as herself. "Who are you?"

"Straight to the point, I like that in a woman." The man said, smirking as he straightened his tie, his cheerful expression faltering somewhat as he continued to speak, "Lying though, I don't."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll cut to the chase then," The man continued, pulling out a business card from his suit's pocket. "My name is Jaxon Braves, though feel free to call me Jax. I'm here just to check up on the Moreno family." He handed the card to Sofia, who hesitantly accepted it, looking over it cautiously. "Now, now, Mrs. Moreno, the card isn't going to _burst into flames,_ you're fine."

Nothing about what Jax had just said comforted Sofia in any way.

"I think you might be misinformed." Sofia spoke as she looked over the card. It had Jax's name on it, as well as a phone number, an email, an address, and a company name: Braves Tech. Industries. "There's no Moreno family here."

"Lying again, Sofia?" Jax asked, shaking his head. "What a bad example to set for your kids. Are they in the house?"

Sofia stiffened at that, but shook it off as best she could, before frowning deeply. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Jax put his foot by the door then, preventing Sofia from closing it. _"Sofia..."_ Jax's voice was amused then, his gaze somewhat narrowed as he looked down at Sofia. "I can't just _leave_ now that I've found you and your family." 

"I think you'll find that you can, Mr. Braves." Sofia said tersely, "I don't--"

"You know, Yesenia _did_ say you were a stubborn one." Jax chuckled, shaking his head. "I guess I should have listened to her."

At that, Sofia blinked, shock going through her system. "You've... you've talked to my mother?" _She_ hadn't even talked to her mother for some time now, not out of ill will, but because there'd been no time to drop by, not even with a Gift as convenient as her own.

Jax's smile turned eerily gentle then, uncomfortably so. It sent knots through Sofia's stomach, and a bad feeling settled in her gut. "Why, I've talked to both your's and Javier's families, Mrs. Moreno. I had to, to locate the both of you, and your kids." He leaned in slightly, trying to look inside the house. "Where are those little rugrats, anyway?"

"Look," Sofia shifted, doing what she could to block his view of the house, despite her small stature. "I don't know who you think you are, but knowing my mother does _not_ grant you the right to my house." She was careful to not mention Javier or the kids, not wanting to confirm anything more than her relationship to her mother. "I would appreciate it if you left, Mr. Braves, and didn't come back." Sofia eyes narrowed then, brown locking onto his blue. 

Jax let out a roar of laughter, his hands placing themselves on his stomach, his head tilting back somewhat. "You're definitely something, Mrs. Moreno. How could you turn away the only protection being offered to you?"

Sofia's brows furrowed at that, and she shook her head slightly. "Protection?"

"Yes, _protection._ " Jax folded his arms, the amusement never leaving his face. "There's something my company does that we can't exactly promote, Sofia. You see," Jax's gaze shined with excitement then, looking at Sofia with prideful mirth. "We're a protection agency of sorts for those who are Gifted."

Sofia felt her stomach churn. 

"It wouldn't be wise of you to turn down this offer, Mrs. Moreno. I can protect you, your husband, and your children. Your families are currently under my care, along with countless other Gifted folk." Jax leaned back then unfolding his arms and extending a hand to Sofia. Imagine it, a life not in hiding, among your extended family, and others like yourself. I can give that to you."

Sofia glanced to his hand, then back to him, and shook her head. He knew they were Gifted, but did he know their Gifts? He knew her's and Javier's names, their families, but didn't mention the kids by name? There was so much of this that sent Sofia's mind off, that wanted her to just take her family and run... she knew in her gut that whatever Jax was offering wasn't what it seemed. "We're doing just fine on our own, Mr. Braves."

"Now, that's a shame." Jax murmured, retracting his hand. "I would have preferred to done this the easy way."

"Done... what?"

No sooner than Sofia finished speaking, did Jax raise his fingers to his mouth, whistling loudly enough for it to ring throughout the forest. Like clockwork, several men stepped out of the foliage, having been hidden by the dense underbrush of the forest and the darkness of night. Some had firearms, others had large, arm-length machines that reminded her of--

"Flamethrowers?" No, no, no... Sofia swallowed harshly. Was this what led up to Ava's premonition?

"A smart woman." Jax said, moving his foot and beginning to turn away. "Though, not smart enough." His back to Sofia, Jax waved his hand, and the men with flamethrowers took aim at the house. "I'm a kind man. I'll give you a choice. Come with me now, or I'll give your family a two minute head start."

Sofia had never slammed the door so quickly in her life.

Her adrenaline pumping, Sofia ran to the kitchen, only to see just her kids. "Where's your father?" Sofia asked, eyes wide as she looked around.

"Papa went upstairs." Felix whined, holding onto Ava's hand.

"Yeah, after you started talking with that guy!" Aliyah chimed in.

Araceli was next to speak. "I hid him with my shadows, so he wouldn't be seen or heard until he was up the stairs."

Before Sofia could get another word in, Javier came running down the stairs, carrying two backpacks and a duffel bag. "We need to go."

Sofia nodded. "Right." 

Javier tossed Sofia a backpack, the bag already heavy. "I packed clothes and necessities in the backpacks." He said.

"What's in the duffel bag?" Ava asked, but Javier ignored her, instead shoving some food from their pantry into said duffel bag.

They heard Jax's voice from outside, amplified in some unseen way. "One minute!"

Sofia's stomach sank, and she grabbed Felix, hoisting him up into her arms. "We have to move." She said, looking at Javier. Her husband nodded back, and the six of them poured out the back door.

One of Jaxon's men was quick to see them, and called out to his boss about them running out the back way.

"So be it, Morenos." Jax's voice rang, still amplified. "I like a good chase, anyway."

Quickly after he spoke, the men with flamethrowers began to rinse the outside of the house with fire, the wooden material being quick to catch alight. Not stopping in their running, the Moreno family looked back in horror, Felix crying out, "Our house!"

Ava felt tears burn at her eyes, and she turned away from the sight of the house on fire, her family doing the same.

"Sofia, we need to get out of here." Javier said, looking at her expectantly. "We need your portals."

"I know, Javier." Sofia shot back, "I just... I need free hands, and a place to concentrate."

Before Javier could speak, the sound of gunshots ran through the air, a bullet whizzing past the family into a nearby tree. All six of them flinched, their hearts pounding as they picked up their speed. Ava, Araceli, and Aliyah were starting to lag behind, being out paced by their parents. Noticing this, both Sofia and Javier slowed down for a moment, Javier grabbing Aliyah and Araceli's hands, Sofia shifting Felix into one arm and grabbing Ava with the other.

"Don't worry, Morenos," Jax's voice sounded out into the forest, "We plan on taking you alive. Just so long as you comply."

"There's got to be somewhere we can hide...!" Javier muttered, looking around as they ran.

"What about the cave by the lake?" Aliyah spoke up, panting as she did so. "Papa can make a boulder, I can move it to cover us, and we can hide out there until they disappear!

"Good idea, _mija."_ Sofia replied, nodding towards Javier. "Let's do that. I can put Felix down, and focus on making a portal to get us out of here."

"Right." Javier nodded in response, and the family of six rushed towards the forest's lake, running from their burning house, and the gunfire that rang behind them. It wasn't long before they reached the lake, circling it until they reached the other side. As they found themselves at the mouth of the cave, Sofia put Felix down, telling him, Ava, and Araceli to head inside. The three kids did as they were told, and Sofia stood by as Javier manipulated a slab of rock beside the cave into a boulder.

"Ok," Javier said as he looked towards his wife and daughter, his hand on the boulder. "Now we'll head inside and--"

From the opposite side of the lake, a gunshot rang out.

Javier's eyes went wide as pain blossomed in his left side, his hands moving there to hold himself. Sofia cried out as her husband was shot, moving towards him to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Javi!"

Javier seethed in pain, his hands covering his bleeding wound. Aliyah's eyes were wide in shock, her hands trembling. "P-Papa...?"

"I'm ok, _mija."_ He replied through gritted teeth. "S-Sofia... We need to g-get inside the cave."

Sofia was failing to hold back tears, but she nodded, carefully carrying her husband into the cave, Aliyah hurriedly covering it with the boulder her father made. She could hear the sounds of men's voices coming from the other side of the lake, using the boulder to shield herself and her family from any more incoming bullets. 

The boulder rolled into place with a firm _'thunk!'_ and the cave was filled with nothing but darkness.

Aliyah could hear her siblings' clamors, trying to figure out what happened outside, when a pained Javier silenced them. "Kids, q-quiet!" Their clamors died down into nothing, the only sound being Sofia's crying. "Sofia, _mi corazón._ You n-need to focus."

"I-- But you...!"

"Y-You can do it."

The sound of Sofia's crying stifled into repressed whimpers and uneven breathing, and it wasn't long before a blue light slowly began to emerge from the darkness, growing bigger and bigger, until the center of it began to show a more secluded place in the forest.

The portal began to frizz, however, the moment a number of voices could be heard outside the cave, Jax's voice ringing out above them all. "Hiding will get you nowhere."

"Ig...Ignore them, Sofia." Javier breathed, his voice raspy. "We'll be alright."

With light now in the cave, the family was able to look at each other, before Sofia looked to Ava. _"Mija,_ grab your father's duffel bag."

"But--" Ava began, before her father cut her off.

"K-Kids' clothes are in your backpack, Sofia."

Sofia carefully shed her backpack, Aliyah being quick to grab it, Ava doing the same with her father's duffel bag.

"The four of you," Sofia began, her hands trembling as she focused on the portal, "need to pass through the portal I've made. Your father and I will be behind you."

As all four of them began to protest, Javier spoke up. "L-Listen to your mother."

It was then that the sound of something crumbling made its way to their ears, a small, football sized hole being made in the center of the boulder that hid them from Jax and his men. Jax looked through the hole his gaze falling on the family of six, before looking to the portal. "You're not getting away!"

"Kids, go!"

Fear in their eyes, the four kids backed up towards the portal, watching as the hole made in the boulder began to grow wider and wider, Jax being able to stick his hand through the hole. There was a cybernetic machine attached to his arm and hand, and wherever his hand touched, the boulder began to disintegrate further.

"That's..." Sofia muttered in shock. "That's my mother's Gift..." As she noticed this, the forest in the portal shifted, now showing still a forest, but one different that the one the family was familiar with.

"Yesenia's Gift is a handy little thing, isn't it?" Jax laughed. "Though your portals seem like they'd be even more so."

Sofia looked to her children. "Kids, go now!"

"But what about you?" Ava cried, tears welling in her eyes. She heard Felix begin crying behind her, Aliyah trying to console him.

 _"Mija,_ we'll be fine." Sofia said, panting slightly. "Watch out for each other until we find you, ok?"

"We love you." Javier spoke up, Ava finally giving in and crying.

"Now go!" Sofia commanded, Aliyah taking a crying Felix through the portal. Araceli grabbed Ava's arm, pulling her through the portal as Jax broke through the rock, and he and his men began to swarm in. 

"Mama! Papa!" Ava reached out for them, but was pulled through to the other side, the portal closing immediately as she passed through.

The four of them now found themselves in another forest, this one dark and unfamiliar to them. Ava sunk to her knees, bawling her eyes out as Felix continued to cry behind her. Araceli and Aliyah were both in shock, tears beginning to well up in their eyes as well.

Aliyah put Felix down by Ava, looking at Araceli. "S-Stay here for a sec." She sniffled through her tears as she began to walk away.

Araceli frowned, rubbing the tear out of her eyes before they allowed themselves to fall. "Where are you going?"

"I wanna see if there's something I can recognize nearby." Aliyah said.

"And get lost?" Araceli folded her arms. "Let's just find somewhere to hide out until Mama and Papa find us."

Aliyah looked unsure at that. "But... you saw what happened... Those guys--"

"Mama and Papa will get away." Araceli snapped. "They're strong."

"Papa was _shot."_ Aliyah insisted, throwing her hands down. "Mama was _scared_ and could barely make the portal that got us here. Why--" Felix cried louder at that, and Aliyah instantly felt guilty. She shouldn't have been questioning her parents now. She had to be strong, for her brother's sake if nothing else. "You're right. They'll be fine."

Ava's sobs stifled down into sniffles as she stood up, and picked up her crying brother. "We gotta find somewhere to stay for the night." She said through small hiccups and sniffles. "We gotta stick together."

Her sisters nodded, and the four of them moved, until coming upon another cave. By this point, Felix's cries too, had died down.

"Is there... anything in there?" Ava wondered aloud.

"I don't think so?" Aliyah said. "It looks like a pretty shallow cave."

"Then we'll stay here for the night." Araceli said, walking in, her sisters close behind her. There wasn't much of anything in the shallow cave, with the exception of an oval boulder that took up a decent chunk of space. Aliyah put the backpack containing their clothes against it, Ava following suit with the duffel bag. After securing their cave, Ava put Felix on the ground, the young boy immediately whining.

"It's cold." He said, sniffling. "And bumpy."

"Well, maybe Papa grabbed a blanket?" Ava suggested, moving to go through the backpack. When she saw no such comfort item, she frowned slightly, looking back to Felix with a sad smile on her face. "No such luck."

Felix whined again, before placing his hands down on the ground, vines sprouting from the ground and lining the area beneath him, eventually extending to the full interior of the cave, the ground lined with thin, bunched vines. "Less bumpy." He murmured, sitting up and folding his arms. "Not as cold."

All three sisters sat then, a silence falling among them. 

"What now?" Aliyah asked.

Ava and Araceli shared a look, before Ava shook her head, and Araceli shrugged. They all looked to Felix, who's hands were at his stomach. A grumble left the young boy's stomach, and he looked at them expectantly. 

It was then that their stomachs growled as well, and all three sisters realized they'd been about to eat dinner before... well. 

"Papa put food in the duffel bag, right?" Ava asked as she moved towards it. "Let's eat something from there." As she unzipped the duffel bag, she was met with snacks and fruits from their pantry, but her gaze was focused on the turquoise crystal ball-like orb she'd seen in her dream, nestled in the center of the duffel bag.

"What's wrong?" Aliyah asked, her and Araceli moving to look at the duffel bag's contents. When they too saw the orb, they looked at Ava.

"I saw this thing in one of my dreams." She admitted.

"Really?" Araceli asked.

"Yeah." Ava reached a hand out to touch it, but resisted, instead grabbing a couple pieces of fruit and zipping the bag closed. "When I saw it, all three of us were holding it, and there were other people there, but..." She frowned then, trying to remember. "I don't remember their faces."

"Why would Papa have brought that?" Aliyah asked, taking a piece of fruit from Ava.

"Maybe it's worth something and he planned to sell it?" Araceli offered, also taking a piece of fruit from Ava.

Ava shook her head though, before walking over to Felix, handing him a piece of fruit as well. "No... I feel like... like it's important." She watched as Felix munched down on his fruit, before taking a bite of her own. "We'll look more into it tomorrow." She said, sitting down by her brother. "For now, let's just... let's just wait."

As the four ate, the events of the night caught up with them all, their adrenaline and emotions taking their toll and tiring them out. It wasn't long before the four of them were out cold, Ava nestled by Felix, Araceli sitting up against the wall of the cave, and Aliyah sleeping by the bags.

* * *

As morning's light shone into the cave, Ava groaned, sitting up from her laying position, a frown on her face as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. Where was her bed, her room? Why was she-- oh... That was right... Last night's events hadn't been some dream. They were unfortunately very real. She looked down at Felix, who was still sleeping soundly by her, though when she went to look at her sisters, a pang of worry shot through her.

Neither Araceli nor Aliyah were anywhere to be found.

Cautiously, Ava moved towards the mouth of the cave, looking outwards, only to see her sisters running back towards her.

"You're awake!" Aliyah said, though Ava was quick to shush her, using a thumb to point behind her at Felix.

"We found a town." Araceli murmured, being wary to not wake their brother.

"A town?" Ava asked. "This close to the forest?"

Aliyah and Araceli both nodded, before Aliyah spoke. "Yeah, its not any of the towns Papa ever took us to. It's a completely different place."

"What's it called?" Ava asked.

"Channelwick." Araceli recalled. "It's a decent sized town, but that's all we know. We headed straight back here to tell you."

Ava frowned slightly. An unfamiliar forest, and now an unfamiliar town? Where had their mother transported them to? "Well, when Felix wakes up, we'll head into town, and see if we can figure out just where we are. We'll come back here afterwards to wait for Mama and Papa."

Araceli and Aliyah both nodded, and the three of them headed back into the cave, awaiting their moment to head out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> listen, i didn't mean for this one to be nearly 6,000 words


End file.
